The internet has changed genealogy in one important way. It allows people who care about their ancestors to find one another and share photographs, documents, stories and small pieces of family history that might otherwise be lost.
A recently discovered cousin, Lynn Graves of Texas, shared a great photograph of our mutual ancestors, the family of Jeremiah Fletcher Castellaw and Mary Aurelia Blaydes Castellaw, on Facebook. I was especially drawn to one detail. Leaning against the wall on the porch is a bicycle.
Back row: Lucy Albina “Bina” Castellaw Cobb and Albert “Al” Lafayette Cobb, Arthur Fletcher Castellaw, Jack Castellaw, Thomas Jefferson “Tom” and Helen Moody Castellaw, Rosie Whitamose (girl the Castellaws raised) and Egbert Castellaw
Front row: Paul Cobb & Flynn Cobb, Jelks F. Castellaw, Jeremiah Fletcher Castellaw, Charlie Castellaw (in framed photo) Mary Aurelia “Pus” Castellaw, and Jessie Beatrice Castellaw. (Myrtle Castellaw died when a small child).
Lynn and I are connected with the family in the photograph through Thomas Jefferson “T. J.” Castellaw (1808-1878), my third great-grandfather, and his second wife, Mary Cole (1809-1875). They were substantial landowners, appear to have been fairly prosperous and were active in Zion Baptist Church beginning around 1839.
T. J.’s obituary reads:
“Brother T. J. Castellaw Sr. died the 23rd December 1878 at the residence of his son, G. W. Castellaw, near Jones Station. T. J. Castellaw Sr. died in the 71st year of his age. He was born in Bertie County, North Carolina on the 15th September 1808. He moved to Haywood County, Tennessee while young. He married Mary Cole at age of thirty-one years. He professed religion about 1839 and joined Zion. He was a sufferer for many years before died.”
One of T. J.’s sons was my second great-grandfather, Thomas Jefferson Castellaw Jr. (1841-1879), and another was Jeremiah Fletcher Castellaw (1847-1915), whose family appears in the photograph. Fletcher moved with his family from Haywood County to Ennis, Texas. After the deaths of several of his children, he left Ennis and returned to Haywood County. Fortunately, Lynn’s mother wrote the names of the ancestors on the back of the photograph, so we know the identities of those pictured. By comparing that information with other sources, including Joe Cobb’s book, it is possible to trace what became of most of them.
Fortunately, Lynn’s mother wrote the names of the ancestors on the back of the photograph, so we know the identies of those pictured. By comparing that information with other sources, including Joe Cobb’s book, it is possible to trace what became of most of them.
Fletcher and Mary Aurelia Blaydes Castellaw
After returning to Haywood County, Fletcher and Mary lived on Poplar Corner Road about a half mile from Holly Grove Baptist Church. Mary was known by the nickname “Puss,” and both she and Fletcher were well liked in the community. Fletcher prospered, and the couple had nine children. Fletcher died in 1915. Mary died 18 years later. Both are buried in the Holly Grove Baptist Church cemetery.
Their son, Charlie (1874-1895), is in the framed photo behind them. He died at age 20.
Al and “Bina” Cobb
Fletcher’s daughter Lucy Albina “Bina” Castellaw Cobb (1867-1898) married Albert Lafayette “Al” Cobb (1866-1936), who was also called “Bud Al.” Sim Cobb, Albert’s father, was a brother of William Thomas Cobb, my maternal third great-grandfather, and Mourning Adeline Cobb Watridge, my paternal second great-grandmother, so both Al and Bina are part of my family tree.
According to Joe Cobb’s book, Al was handsome, witty and a good conversationalist. For reasons I do not yet know, he eventually lost his property. In 1896, Al and Bina moved with Fletcher to Ennis. They had three children. Shortly after the birth of the third child, Bina died and was buried in Myrtle Cemetery. By 1900, Al was back in Haywood County. Their children, Alice, Paul and Harry, were then living in the household of Al’s father, Sim Cobb, along with Ida and Dorsey T. Watridge. Al later married Lenora “Nonie” Thomas. He and Nonie raised Alice and Paul, and they had three additional children together. Fletcher and Mary Castellaw raised Harry Cobb. Al died of a heart attack in 1936. He and his second wife are buried in the Holly Grove Baptist Church cemetery.
Thomas Jefferson and Helen Moody Castellaw
Fletcher’s son Thomas Jefferson and his wife Helen also returned to Haywood County. They built a house across from Holly Grove Baptist Church and the school that stood at the corner of Poplar Corner and Dr. Hess Road. They were members of the church, and Thomas Jefferson served as a magistrate. He died in 1940 at age 69. His obituary names two sons, Moody and Clarence, and one daughter, Grace Powell.
Jack Castellaw and Pat Castellaw
Jack Castellaw appears to have remained in Ennis. He married Lila Janie Pender of Abilene. He eventually opened a drugstore there and became quite successful. Their son, also named Jack, was serving as scorekeeper for the Baylor basketball team when the team bus was struck by a train on the way to a game. He was among those killed in what later became known as the tragedy of the Immortal Ten.
Jack died in 1951 and Lila in 1969. Both are buried in Myrtle Cemetery in Ennis. Before her death, Lila made a significant gift to Baylor University for the construction of the Castellaw Communications Center, named in memory of her son.
Pat was likely Arthur Fletcher Castellaw who died in 1899 at age 19. You can imagine this may have been one of the final blows that caused the family to return home to Tennessee.
Jelks Castellaw
Jelks later returned to Texas, where he opened a men’s clothing store. He later became secretary of the Chamber of Commerce in Ennis, helped organize the first Texas State Fair and created a publication called Texas Livestock Journal. He died in 1966 in San Antonio at age 78 and was buried in Gilmer, Texas. He was survived by his wife, Mildred, a son, Bill J., and a daughter, Mrs. J. D. Graves.
Egbert O. Castellaw and Rosie Whitamose (girl the Castellaws raised)
Egbert returned to Haywood County and never married. He died in 1941 and is buried in the Holly Grove Baptist Church cemetery.
Jessie Beatrice Castellaw
Jessie married J. H. Shettlesworth and moved to Memphis. She had three sons: John Jelks, Jesse Hugh and Charles.
For more of my genealogy research, visit rscottwilliams.info.
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